Recipe Stash: Baked Beef Penne

I was generally unmotivated today and needed to go to the store but instead spent hours mulling over my writing and failing to resist the pitfalls of social media. As a result, I ended up making dinner from items I already had on hand at home. Despite not having a clear idea of what exactly I was making in the beginning, it actually turned out pretty good! It’s basically my take on spaghetti. I present to you, Baked Beef Penne.

What You Will Need:

1 lb. ground beef (I prefer the 80/20 variety)

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, drained (14.5 oz.)

1 can tomato sauce (24 oz.)

1 ½ teaspoon salt (I like to use Kosher salt)

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1-1 ½ cups penne pasta

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or more to taste)

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

What You Need to Do

First brown your ground beef in a large saucepan with your onions and garlic until the meet is not longer pink and the veggies are tender. I like to cook the beef a little first and then add the veggies and continue cooking the two together until the beef is no longer pink. Drain and return to saucepan.